Paul Potts has confessed he's "frustrated" after being dumped from the Britain's Got Talent: The Champions competition on the very first night.
Opera singer Paul wowed the crowds with his atmospheric aria last night, even receiving a standing ovation from the studio.
But judge Simon Cowell told the ex-salesman that he wasn't blown away, saying: "I'm going to be honest with you Paul, I thought you started shaky and then halfway through the song it took me back to your first audition, which was you realising if you don't hit the big notes it's over.
"And that's what happened Paul, you hit the big note when it mattered. What I admire about you is you didn't need to be here tonight and the fact that you care is why you are a champion and always will be a champion."
Shortly afterwards, Paul was voted out of the contest despite being BGT's very first winner in 2007, which viewers branded "humiliating".
Paul later revealed he had been put off by a last-minute change in filming, which was handed to him by producers just moments before he went on stage.
"Was little frustrated with myself as after 15 run throughs, Production gave me a change of camera direction on my way to the stage &it left me looking for the camera that came from different direction," he tweeted to fans.
"Shouldnt have allowed that to make me think, as I need to feel when performing."
Paul also slammed critics who claimed he was "sulking" when the results were read out by Ant McPartlin and Dec Donnelly, insisting that's just the way his face looks.
"To those that thought I was sulking - that's what I look like most of the time lol I can prove it with this still from the original audition: I don't do fake smiles, but it doesn't mean I am grumpy sulky or feeling entitled," he said.
"That’s my usual look lol. I was so sulky that I didn’t storm out of the arena and stayed to have photographs and give autographs to those who asked.
He hit back at claims Amanda Holden had been rude to make a joke about his old teeth, which were a talking point when he first found fame 12 years ago.
He insisted he and Amanda are on good terms and even met up recently.
"I don't think any ill will was intended. I had seen Amanda just a few weeks before the recording and we get on just fine," he went on.
"It is after all one of the more memorable parts of my features 12 years on. Media call them new teeth, but I have had no work done since 2007. Which is just as well, as my mouth doesn't numb up, so in spite of many injections I feel everything."
Paul was beaten by the dancing Stormtroopers Boogie Storm, Ashley and Sully and Bello and Annaliese Nock, who made up the top three.
Amazing sand artist Kseniya Simonova also went through to the grand final after receiving Amanda's golden buzzer.
The results were somewhat controversially decided by the audience in the arena, rather than viewers at home, as the show was pre-recorded.
The "super fans" in the crowd picked their favourite act using their keypads after all the acts had performed.
Some angry viewers were irritated that they were not able to have a say on the results.
Mirror Online has contacted ITV for comment.
*Britain's Got Talent: The Champions continues next Saturday on ITV
